The Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program
Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York
1657 Bedford Ave (Crown St) Room S205
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Phone: (718) 270-4970
Fax: (718) 270-5179
1150 Carroll Street, Room C221
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Phone: (718) 270-4974
Sherrill-Ann Mason
Derek Lujan-Brooks
Jewel James
Rebecca Cenatus
Takisha Randall
Jessica Rivera
Dorla Grant
Sherrill-Ann Mason
Ms. Mason holds a Bachelor of Arts (honors) in Sociology and Radio Broadcasting from the City University of New York Baccalaureate Program, and a Master of Science Degree (M.S.) in Urban Affairs, from Hunter College with a concentration in Community Development and Social Policy. In 2008 – 2010, she was awarded a Thurgood Marshall Pathways Fellowship and earned a post-graduate certificate (2010) in Strengths-based Education from Gallup University’s, Clifton Strengths School. She is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Instructional and Administrative Leadership at St. John’s University’s School of Education. Her research focuses on the success of immigrant students in higher education.
Sherrill-Ann Mason is also a community organizer in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines diaspora in New York. Prior to migrating to the United States in 1999, she worked in communications and was heavily involved in community development and youth work. She attended the 1998 United Nations World Youth Forum in Portugal and was later awarded an internship with the United Nations Youth Program in New York in 2000. Currently, she serves as Chairperson of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, and formerly served as its Public Relations Officer and Coordinator of the Leadership Development Workshop Series. Most recently she was appointed as Coordinator of a multi-regional Vincentian Diaspora alliance, SVGDRIP, that brings together Vincentians and their organizations across the world that focus on disaster relief and preparedness.
Derek Lujan-Brooks
Mr. Lujan-Brooks migrated from Panama at the age of 12 and is a first-generation college student. He holds a Bachelor of Science with honors in Accounting from Medgar Evers College. Currently pursuing a Master of Science Degree (M.S.) in Policy Analysis and Evaluation at Baruch College. He was a multiple Dean List Recipient and awarded SEEK Student of the Year in 2014. Also, Mr. Lujan-Brooks is involved with many community services non-profit organizations like Aspira Leadership and others. Derek is a proud SEEK student that loves to give back to the community that once gave him a chance denied by many others.
Dr. Jewel James
Dorla Grant
Today, Dorla Grant, works with the SEEK Department, as the IT Academic Coordinator. In this role, she collaborates with and provides support to: students, tutors, and faculty/staff in the use of instructional systems and software programs.
Her personal philosophy in life is to “keep her eyes on the prize”. This philosophy has helped her to stay focus and drives her passion. Specifically, her passion as a lifelong learner is to be committed to understanding the ever-changing advance in technologies. In doing so, she keeps up-to-date with current digital technologies and trends, to effectively equip students, tutors, and faculty/staff consistently.
Rebecca Cenatus
Dr. Rebecca Cenatus, Ph.D., LMSW, holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Medgar Evers College at the City University of New York (CUNY), a master’s degree in Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College (CUNY), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Welfare from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. She is licensed in her profession and SIFI certified, allowing her to provide professional mentorship and field supervision to graduate students from various social work programs.
Dr. Cenatus is an Academic Support Specialist, Lecturer, and Counselor in the Percy E. Sutton SEEK program at Medgar Evers College (CUNY). In addition to providing academic and counseling support, she teaches group-counseling courses and facilitates psychoeducational workshops with a holistic approach to enhancing the personal and psychosocial development of marginalized students through a social justice and anti-oppressive lens. She has also taught courses on community justice as an adjunct professor in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY).
Her passion for serving underrepresented communities began during her internship at STEPS to End Family Violence, an Alternative to Incarceration (ATI) Program dedicated to providing counseling services and legal advocacy to women facing criminal charges related to domestic violence, abuse, and trauma. Dr. Cenatus’ weekly visits to Rikers Island and close work with courts and attorneys opened her eyes to the discrimination and disproportionate representation of people of color in the Criminal Justice System.
As a servant leader, Dr. Cenatus hopes to inspire her students to overcome adversity and build resilience on their journey to academic success. Her mission is to “Educate, Elevate, and Empower” individuals to fulfill their highest potential in life.
Takisha Randall
Currently, as an Academic Support Specialist and Lecturer/Counselor in the Percy E. Sutton SEEK Program, and former seek student, her goal is to make sure future students of MEC are equipped with the resources and program knowledge to help them succeed in obtaining their degree.
Jessica Rivera
Jessica C. Rivera, a graduate of Medgar Evers College (MEC) within the City University of New York system, received her Bachelor of Liberal Arts with a concentration in Social & Behavioral Sciences. She later pursued a Master in Public Administration from John Jay College, followed by a brief attendance at Pace Law School. However, she later changed schools and graduated from Walden University, thus earning her Doctorate in Education in August 2021. Presently, she is pursuing a post-doc Certificate of Advanced Education Leadership at Harvard University.
Currently, Jessica is serving as SEEK’s Academic Support Services Program Manager at MEC. As an alumna of SEEK at MEC, she learned the virtue of tenacity. Being tenacious has helped her develop the moral courage to undertake what seems to be impossible in life. This virtue has become the backbone of Jessica’s life mission.
As a native of the South Bronx, she has seen poverty, addiction, and abuse up close. Because of these experiences, she strives to educate others, especially the youth, about their options in life. Her daily mantra includes seven words, “you are who you want to be.” Moreover, her message is simple “an individual is not defined by others or circumstances; but rather by the virtues they practice.”